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Abbreviation
ED
Agencies
Department of Education
Federal Agency
Yes
Location

United States

What to Report to the OIG Hotline
Violations of Federal laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to U.S. Department of Education programs and funding, including complaints involving U.S. Department of Education employees, recipients of Department of Education funds, schools, school officials, other educational institutions, contractors, lending institutions, collections agencies, or public officials. This includes, but not limited to: • Embezzlement, bribery, or other public corruption involving U.S. Department of Education funds • Serious mismanagement involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds • Theft or misuse of Federal student aid • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a financial aid administrator or other school official(s) • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a student loan servicer or collection agency • Knowledge that your school is not complying with regulations or laws involving Federal student aid or other U.S. Department of Education program or operation • Whistleblower reprisal (if you are a U.S. Department of Education employee, also report reprisal to the Office of Special Counsel) • Conflicts of interest • Contract and procurement irregularities • Theft or abuse of government property • U.S. Department of Education employee misconduct • Ethics violations by U.S. Department of Education officials • Unauthorized access to U.S. Department of Education Information Technology systems or Information Technology systems that involves administration or disbursement of U.S. Department of Education funds.
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
If your complaint or allegation does not involve fraud, waste, theft, mismanagement, public corruption, or abuse involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds, you may need to contact another U.S. Department of Education office or Federal or State agency for assistance. If your complaint or allegation falls under one of the categories below, please contact the agency or organization listed for assistance. If you have been unable to solve a problem that is not a result of theft or fraud involving your Federal student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman. The FSA Ombudsman’s Office is a neutral, informal, and confidential resource to help resolve disputes about your Federal student loans. If you have an issue with your private student loan, or another private financial product or service: • Please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at 1-800-411-2372 or http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/#student-loan. You can submit a complaint about private student loans, which are often issued by a bank, a credit union, your school, or another lending institution. If you believe an improper accounting error occurred on your student loan involving a collection agency or loan service center, or if you disagree with your loan servicer about the balance or status of your student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you require technical assistance regarding your student loan, mediation between your loan servicing center, or problems receiving student loan documents from your loan servicer, disability forms, or loan cancellation: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If the Internal Revenue Service has or will offset income tax returns, or if you believe that there has been an improper garnishment of your wages for the repayment of student loans: • Please contact the Office of Debt Collection Services at 1-800-621-3115 (or 1-202-377-3373 or 1-202-377-3374), or find more on what you can do if you defaulted on your student loan repayment here: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/borrower/contactusSubLinks If your school closed or your loan was cancelled as a result of a school closure: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD-1-800-8480983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you have questions concerning the quality of education you received while attending a college, university, or trade school: • Please contact your local Better Business Bureau, the school’s accrediting agency, the State licensing agency, or the State Board of Higher Education. If your complaint involves a Head Start Program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG at 1-800-424-9121 or https://oig.hhs.gov/ If your complaint involves a school lunch program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) OIG at http://www.usda.gov/oig/ If your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights – 1-800-421-3481 or http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintprocess.html If you are a U.S. Department of Education employee and your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Equal Employment Opportunity Service Office - 1-800-872-5327 or https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/om/eeo.html If your complaint involves a scholarship scam—someone calling to offer you a scholarship and requesting your bank or credit card account number for a processing fee—do not share any information and immediately • Contact the Federal Trade Commission - 1-877-FTC-HELP or http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Former Athens City Schools Administrator Sentenced in North Alabama Virtual Education Scheme

Former Athens City Schools Administrator Sentenced in North Alabama Virtual Education Scheme
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Athens City Schools Administrator Sentenced in North Alabama Virtual Education Scheme Montgomery, Alabama – Today, former Athens City Schools administrator, William Richard (“Rick”) Carter, Jr., 46, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the Alabama State,,,

Oklahoma’s Administration of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund Grant

2022
A20GA0011
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education
Pandemic

The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the State of Oklahoma (Oklahoma) designed and implemented awarding processes that ensured that the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER grant) was used to support local educational agencies (LEA) and institutions of higher education...

The U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 for Fiscal Year 2022

2022
I22IT0066
Inspection / Evaluation
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

Our objective was to assess the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) progress at improving the maturity of its security program and practices as required by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA).We made 77 recommendations to improve the Department's cybersecurity...

California Department of Education’s Administration of the Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations Program

2022
A19NY0025
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine whether the California Department of Education (California) appropriately allocated Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) program funds and ensured that local educational agencies (LEA) and nonpublic schools used Restart program funds for...

Richmond Community College Director Sentenced for Stealing Student Financial Aid Funds

Richmond Community College Director Sentenced for Stealing Student Financial Aid Funds
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Richmond Community College Director Sentenced for Stealing Student Financial Aid Funds RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a six-year scheme to defraud the United States Department of Education and the Commonwealth of Virginia of at least,,,

Puerto Rico Department of Education’s Administration of the Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students Program

2022
A19GA0003
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objectives of our audit were to determine whether the Puerto Rico Department of Education (Puerto Rico DOE) provided accurate and complete displaced student count data to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) and appropriately accounted for Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced...

U.S. Department of Education’s Compliance with Improper Payment Reporting Requirements for FY 2021

2022
A22GA0050
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine whether the U.S. Department of Education complied with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA) for fiscal year (FY) 2021.The Department did not comply with the PIIA because it did not meet one of the six compliance requirements. The Department...

Former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education and a Local Contractor Charged in $560,000 Bribery Scheme

Former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education and a Local Contractor Charged in $560,000 Bribery Scheme
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education and a Local Contractor Charged in $560,000 Bribery Scheme DETROIT - Albert Morrison, the former President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education and local school district contractor, John David, have been,,,

Former Head Tennis Coach at Georgetown University Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison in College Admissions Case

Former Head Tennis Coach at Georgetown University Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison in College Admissions Case
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Head Tennis Coach at Georgetown University Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison in College Admissions Case BOSTON – The former head coach of men and women’s tennis at Georgetown University was sentenced today in connection with soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate the admission,,,

Seven Defendants Charged in Animal Fighting Venture and Illegal Gambling Operation

Seven Defendants Charged in Animal Fighting Venture and Illegal Gambling Operation
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Seven Defendants Charged in Animal Fighting Venture and Illegal Gambling Operation CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — A joint team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 7 individuals on June 22, 2022, who have all been charged in federal court for their roles in a gamecock,,,

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